Classroom Observation- Wright

Name: Date:

Allison Wright

Kindergarten Language Arts

1. This is Allison Wright. She teaches kindergarten and you will be observing a Language Arts/Writing lesson in which Ms. Wright uses the Writer's Workshop approach to teaching writing. There are so many important things to look for during this observation. Look for the way she has organized her classroom, listen and watch as she conferences with students and provides feedback, look for her classroom routines and behavioral expectations and more. Enjoy and learn.Take notes as you observe.

2. Note how the teacher incorporates whole body movement and yoga to help students focus and prepare them for learning. Why is this important?

3. What are you seeing and hearing from the teacher as she prepares the students for the lesson? Reflect.

4. (You are seeing Ms. Wright providing an opportunity for students to recall prior knowledge about the elements of a story. Reflect: Why does she do this?

It is very important to review before the students begin to work on their "books" during the daily lesson. This part of her lesson today is called a "mini-lesson". Ms. Wright has challenged the students to write stories about their personal lives. She didn't insist, but challenged them to do so. Why didn't she tell the students they had to write a story about their personal lives? Reflect.

This will be discussed more later. Every component of the lesson is very well thought out and planned and based on what the teacher knows the students need to work on. Keep watching and making notes.

1/26/2017

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5. Ms. Wright knows how important it is to review classroom practices and routines with

young children. Obviously she has taught the students routines and procedures for conferencing but she knows it is critical to review the conferencing protocol before releasing the students to conference with each other. Ms. Wright is setting the expectations for independent work and specifically peer-to-peer conferencing. This will prevent off-task behaviors and provide opportunities for more productive work.

Reflect on what you have observed and importance of routines and procedures. What other routines and procedures have you observed in other lessons?

6. Reflect on the method Ms. Wright used to create conferring partners.

7. Note how well Ms. Wright knows her students and their families. Reflect on her body language and listening skills as she works with the students.

What part of the lesson cycle are you observing? What else are you seeing and hearing? Reflect.

8. Reflect: How is Ms. Wright challenging students? How is she "pushing them" to think at a higher level or about something different? What level of Bloom's Taxonomy are you observing? What are you observing as you watch her conference with students?

9. Great teachers are constantly monitoring the entire classroom as they work with individual and small groups of students. Reflect on what you just saw. How did the students know what to do?

10. Reflect on the classroom climate and culture.

1/26/2017

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11. One of the most powerful aspects of using Writer's Workshop as an approach to the teaching of writing is that is provides opportunities to make connections between reading and writing. Reflect on what you are observing as Ms.Wright works with this student.

12. (Reflect: What did you just hear Ms. Wright communicate to her students? Why did she do this?

13. Reflect on Ms. Wright transitioning student to the next activity.

14. How does Ms. Wright use music, songs and/or sayings to keep students focused?

Reflect on how she transitions to the next part of the Language Arts period and working with reading groups.

Note how she reviews procedures and expectations for work to be done in centers. Again, this is critical to do with young learners. Ms. Wright has obviously taught the students how to work in centers and the expectations for working norms but by reviewing it again she is setting the students up for a successful learning experience.

15. Effective teachers always reflect on the lesson, and lesson outcomes. Listen as the teacher reflects on this lesson, and compare it to the responses you have written on the observation worksheet. Use both the teacher’s reflections and your own observation when writing your overall observational reflection.